Provocation

The caravan had been heading south along the imperial road for three days.

The wheels ground against the stone slabs, the rhythmic creaking monotonous and long-drawn.

The scenery along the way was much the same: withered trees, barren fields, and the occasional passing crow, all of which made the imperial road seem increasingly desolate.

Su Derong sat on the left side of the carriage shaft, his folding fan uncharacteristically closed in his hand.

He tilted his head to look at Chen Jianghe, who sat beside him with his back held straight, his gaze sweeping across both sides of the road from time to time, and suddenly smiled.

"Jianghe, why so tense? Relax a little; it's only the third day."

Chen Jianghe, seated on the right, withdrew his gaze from the surroundings and replied, "Senior Brother, is escorting always this... calm?"

Su Derong shook his head, tapping his knee lightly with the ribs of his fan. "Calm is exactly how it should be. In the escort business, the real skill lies not just in 'watching,' but in the 'rules.'"

He paused, his tone carrying a hint of mockery. "Do you really think the swordplay and bloodshed in the storyteller's tales are common? That's just to entertain the masses. Seventy percent of the true craft of an escort lies in the 'rules'."

Chen Jianghe turned his face. "Senior Brother, I would like to hear the details."

Su Derong held up three fingers. "The first is the route. This 'South Route Three' we are taking is the fixed route the Su Family Escort Agency has operated the longest. Every stop along the way, every stretch of terrain prone to ambushes, and even the exact time to accelerate—these are all constants tested by human lives. Never deviate from the route, never take shortcuts—that is an iron rule."

He pointed his fan toward Zhao Tieshan, who was riding a horse some ten yards ahead. "See Old Zhao? His signaling gestures and the way he sets up scouts are all according to protocol. We stay in the center when passing through forests, send scouts ahead when approaching canyons, and choose open, wind-sheltered areas for rest... These things may seem trivial, but they are all experiences bought with the blood of our predecessors."

Chen Jianghe was thoughtful. "So these past few days, while it seemed calm, we were actually following the rules at every step?"

"Exactly." Su Derong patted his shoulder with satisfaction. "The second is people. Along the way, we only use tea stalls, inns, and supply villages with whom we have long-standing, reliable relationships. We don't stay at newly opened shops, we don't drink water from strangers, and we don't get too close to merchant caravans we meet on the road—you can never let your guard down."

He lowered his voice. "Do you know that last year, the New City Escort Agency got greedy and stayed at a newly opened inn? It turned out the place was a trap set by mountain bandits. The entire team was wiped out, and the cargo was lost."

A chill ran through Chen Jianghe's heart.

"The third, and most important rule," Su Derong said with a solemn expression, "is to neither look for trouble nor fear it. If we run into imperial soldiers checking for permits, we pay the necessary bribes; if we encounter local thugs trying to extort us, we toss them some silver to send them on their way. But if someone truly intends to touch the cargo—"

He snapped his fan shut and tapped it against his palm. "Then there is nothing more to say; we settle it with our hands. But there are rules to fighting, too: don't strike unless necessary, but if you do, finish it completely. Leave no loose ends. In this world, the soft-hearted don't last long in the escort business."

Chen Jianghe committed these words to memory.

Su Derong checked the sky and estimated the distance, then called out, "Sun's Tea Stall is three miles ahead! We rest for two quarters of an hour! Water the horses, but don't unhitch the carts!"

"Understood!"

The caravan slowed to a halt in front of a crude tea stall by the roadside.

The stall was nothing more than a thatched roof supported by poles, with three or four wobbly wooden tables. An old man squatted in front of an earthen stove, boiling water, the iron kettle atop it puffing out white steam with a bubbling sound.

Zhao Tieshan dismounted first, walked over to the old man to exchange a few words, placed a few copper coins on the table, and then signaled the caravan to approach.

Su Derong led Chen Jianghe to a table near the back.

Zhou Yong and Wang Gui followed, while the Pathfinders dispersed under the shade of trees outside the stall, gnawing on dry rations while keeping a watchful eye on all directions.

"Brother Chen," Zhou Yong said, gulping down a large bowl of tea and wiping his mouth. "You're sitting in the lead carriage with the Young Master this trip. Have you managed to spot any of the tricks of the trade?"

The question was asked casually, but Chen Jianghe caught the faint prick of hostility beneath the words.

He looked up at Zhou Yong.

The lean man was watching him with a mocking smile, turning a coarse pottery tea bowl in his hands.

The others also turned their gazes toward Chen Jianghe.

Chen Jianghe spoke calmly. "I have noticed a few things. For instance, when we passed that forest earlier, Master Zhao deliberately avoided the edge and kept to the center of the imperial road. Is it because the forest is dense and easy to hide in, and since the wind was blowing from the forest, the scent of smoke or fire would be hard to detect if there were an ambush?"

Zhou Yong froze.

Zhao Tieshan's eyes lit up, and he nodded. "Brother Chen has a sharp eye. That forest is called 'Ghost's Sorrow.' It has many branching paths and complex terrain; in the past, bandits often hid there to fire cold arrows. Staying in the middle keeps us far from both sides. Even if there were an ambush, it would take them time to charge out, giving us enough time to react."

Chen Jianghe continued, "And the timing of our rest. We set off at the hour of the Dragon and take our first break at the third quarter of the hour of the Snake, just when men and horses are tired. Resting for two quarters of an hour is just enough to recover our strength without delaying the journey too much. Is that an experience gained from years of travel?"

This time, even Wang Gui looked up, a look of surprise appearing on his honest face.

Su Derong smiled and unfurled his fan. "Not bad, Jianghe! Only three days in, and you've already grasped the rules quite well."

Chen Jianghe turned to Zhao Tieshan for guidance. "Master Zhao, I saw you dismounting to check the road surface earlier. Were you identifying the wheel tracks?"

Zhao Tieshan became interested, pulled up a stool, and sat down. "Exactly! Brother Chen is very observant. There are many vehicles on this imperial road, and the tracks are layered over one another. But there is a big difference between fresh and old tracks. Fresh tracks have clear edges and moist soil; old tracks have blurred edges and dry, white soil. If there are tracks going one way but none returning, or if the tracks suddenly break off, you have to be careful—it could mean something happened ahead, or someone deliberately wiped their tracks."

Chen Jianghe listened intently, nodding from time to time.

Wang Gui chimed in, "Old Zhao's skills have saved us more than a few times. Last year, when we were passing through Sky-Split Gorge, it was Old Zhao who noticed fresh rubble on the cliff and insisted on stopping the caravan. Half an hour later, that section of the cliff actually collapsed, burying three merchant wagons that had passed through."

Zhao Tieshan waved his hand. "It's just experience bought with my life; not worth mentioning."

Chen Jianghe was about to respond when he heard Zhou Yong let out a sudden, mocking snort nearby. He stood up, brushed the dust off his trousers, and strolled over.

"Brother Chen is certainly meticulous. But in the escort business, knowing how to look isn't enough. When trouble actually hits, you need hard fists to do the talking."

The words weren't loud, but the sting in them was clear to everyone.

Su Derong fanned himself, looking at Zhou Yong with a faint, unreadable smile, but said nothing.

Chen Jianghe looked up, his expression calm. "Brother Zhou is right. I am new here and don't understand many of the rules; I should indeed observe and learn more."

"Learning is necessary, of course." Zhou Yong crossed his arms, looking down at him. "But some things can't be learned just by watching. Take this escort mission, for example—if we really run into trouble, there will be blood. I wonder if the fists you practiced at the martial arts school can stand up to real combat?"

The atmosphere turned subtly stiff for a moment.

Zhao Tieshan frowned and was about to intervene, but Su Derong pressed his fan down slightly, signaling him to stay calm.

Chen Jianghe slowly stood up and looked at Zhou Yong with a smile. "What is it? Brother Zhou wants to test me?"

"Test you? Let's test you!" Zhou Yong's eyes lit up; he had clearly been waiting for these words for a long time. "But this isn't the place. We're staying at the Old Yang Inn tonight. It's an old contact of the Su Family, and the courtyard is spacious. We can stretch our limbs then; it'll be a good way to liven things up for everyone. How about it?"

Wang Gui rubbed his hands together from the side and chuckled foolishly. "That sounds good! It's stifling on the road. Practicing some fisticuffs to get the blood flowing doesn't break any rules."

Chen Jianghe looked toward Su Derong. Su Derong fanned himself and smiled. "It's an old tradition of the escort agency. Private sparring during rest stops is fine, as long as it's friendly and doesn't cause injury. Jianghe, just think of it as gaining practical experience."

"Fine." Chen Jianghe nodded. "Then I shall seek guidance from Brother Zhou and Brother Wang tonight."

He turned to walk out, but as he passed Chen Jianghe, he lowered his voice to drop a line: "Kid, a sharp tongue is useless. Your fists need to be hard."

Chen Jianghe smiled and remained silent.

Zhao Tieshan walked over, patted Chen Jianghe on the shoulder, and whispered, "Brother Chen, Zhou Yong just has that kind of temper. He's been with the escort agency a long time and thinks of himself as a veteran. Don't take it to heart; just show him what you're made of when the time comes."

Chen Jianghe smiled. "Don't worry, Master Zhao, I understand."

Two quarters of an hour passed in the blink of an eye.

Su Derong stood up. "Let's go."

The group finished packing up, and the caravan set off once again.